Prosecutors in Jacksonville, Florida, have announced that no criminal charges will be filed against a sheriff’s deputy seen on video striking a motorist during a controversial February arrest. The decision, revealed in a 16-page memo from the State Attorney’s Office for the 4th Judicial Circuit, concludes Officer D. Bowers acted lawfully during the February 19 traffic stop involving 22-year-old William McNeil Jr.
According to prosecutors, Bowers conducted a valid stop and issued McNeil 12 separate lawful commands, which were repeatedly ignored. “McNeil’s refusal to provide his identification, registration, and proof of insurance, followed by his refusal to exit the SUV, show his hands, and obey the officers’ orders, created a dangerous situation for all involved,” the memo stated. Officials emphasized that requesting a supervisor or debating the merits of the stop did not excuse McNeil from complying with lawful orders.
McNeil’s arrest, which began after deputies alleged he was driving without headlights in poor weather and was not wearing a seat belt, was captured on a cellphone video he recorded. That footage, along with body camera recordings later released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, showed officers using force as McNeil resisted exiting his vehicle. The widely circulated videos sparked public criticism and prompted an internal investigation. Sheriff T.K. Waters confirmed last month that prosecutors had determined no laws were broken by the deputies involved.
The decision not to bring charges has drawn backlash from McNeil’s legal team, civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, who condemned the findings in a joint statement. “Frankly, we expected nothing less, especially after Sheriff Waters announced their conclusions more than three weeks before the report was issued,” they said. The attorneys are now urging the U.S. Department of Justice to step in and conduct its own investigation into both the incident and the practices of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
While prosecutors have closed the criminal review, the case continues to fuel calls for greater accountability in police conduct during traffic stops. For McNeil and his supporters, the focus now shifts to whether federal authorities will intervene in a case they argue reflects broader concerns about policing and the treatment of Black motorists in Florida.
